METU / SFL 401 GROUP Fall 2024

DBE RELATIVE (ADJECTIVE) CLAUSES – PART 1

GHO 4a (Instructor’s Copy)

Objectives: Students will have practiced

-subject and object defining relative clauses with “who, which, that, whom, whose, where, and when”

-omitting the relative clause in object relative clauses

Relative (adjective) clauses describe or give information about nouns just as adjectives do. They cannot be used alone; they are dependent clauses. They can only be used as part of a sentence.

There are two kinds of relative clauses. In this handout, you will study defining relative clauses.

ADJECTIVES RELATIVE (ADJECTIVE) CLAUSES

An adjective describes or gives information A relative clause also describes or gives information about

about a noun. a noun.

An adjective usually comes IN FRONT OF a noun. But a relative clause FOLLOWS a noun.
a) I met a famous + man.
c) I met a man + who is a famous inventor.
adjective noun
noun relative clause
b) Jack is wearing a big + hat.
d) Jack is wearing a hat + which is too big for him.
adjective noun
noun relative clause

TASK 1. Read the excerpt below, and underline the relative clauses that give information about a ‘noun.’

SAC Moodle is an online platform which is designed to support students at the Division of Basic

English (DBE). Students who want to improve their English language skills can find various sources at

SAC Moodle. This platform can only be used by DBE students.

There are many books and a rich exam archive on this platform. DBE students can also find

different materials which are designed to help them with their reading, writing, listening, and

speaking skills. It is possible to find well-prepared vocabulary exercises, too. Overall, SAC Moodle is a

valuable tool for students who look for extra materials to do revision and get high scores from

quizzes and midterms at DBE, and it is free of charge!

A. SUBJECT RELATIVE CLAUSES

In a relative clause, who (for people), which (for things), and that (for both) can be used as the SUBJECT of the relative clause. They are called relative pronouns.

NOTE: In North American English (US and Canada), “which” is not usually used in defining relative clauses. “That” is more commonly used.

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SAC Moodle is an online platform. It is designed SAC Moodle is an online platform which/that is

subject relative pronoun

to support students at DBE. (subject of the relative clause)

designed to support students at DBE.

Students can find various sources at SAC Moodle. They want to improve their English Students who/that want to improve their English

language skills. relative pronoun

subject (subject of the relative clause)

language skills can find various sources at SAC Moodle.

IMPORTANT: Be careful about the subject-verb agreement between the noun and the verb in the relative clause. They must agree:

SAC Moodle is a valuable tool for students who look for extra materials to do revision.

plural noun plural verb

TASK 2. Complete the sentences with who, which, or that and the correct form of the verbs in parentheses.

1.Children who/that hate (hate) chocolate are uncommon.

2. Dress codes that/which are (be) too strict can make employees unhappy.

3. Everyone who/that participates (participate) in the competition will receive a certificate of participation and an online astronomy prize for each child who applies.

4. What advice can you give me about clothes that/which are (be) suitable for interviews?

5. Sustainable buildings that/which minimize (minimize) energy and water consumption are a key part of sustainable urban development.

TASK 3. Combine the following sentences using a relative clause.

1. People often recycle their garbage. They care about the environment.

People who/that care about the environment often recycle their garbage. OR

People who/that often recycle their garbage care about the environment.

Note to the Instructor: Please draw attention to the difference in emphasis and meaning in these two examples.

2. GreenGo developed a technology. The technology turns exercise machines into power generators.

GreenGo developed a technology which/that turns exercise machines into power generators.

3. In urban areas of India, newspaper advertisements have become a convenient method of finding a suitable spouse. These advertisements list the desirable characteristics of young men and

women.

In urban areas of India, newspaper advertisements which/that list the desirable characteristics of young men and women have become a convenient method of finding a suitable spouse.

4. The Mohana live in houseboats. These houseboats are attached to each other by ropes.

The Mohana live in houseboats that/which are attached to each other by ropes.

5. The paintings have been sold. They have red spots on them.

The paintings which/that have red spots on them have been sold.

B. OBJECT RELATIVE CLAUSES

In a relative clause, who, whom, which, and that can be used as the OBJECT of the relative clause.

When the relative pronoun functions as the object of the relative clause,

* the relative pronoun “whom” can also be used instead of “who”

* the relative pronoun (who / whom / which / that) can be omitted without a change in meaning.

The detectives collected sufficient evidence. The insurance company hired the The detectives (who/whom/that) the insurance

detectives. relative pronoun

object (object of the relative clause)

company hired collected sufficient evidence.

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Dogs can easily detect some smells. Humans Dogs can easily detect some smells (which/that)

cannot perceive these smells. humans cannot perceive.

TASK 4. Combine the following sentences using a relative clause. Then, omit the relative pronoun.

1. Last week, I ran into an old friend. I hadn’t seen him for years.

Last week, I ran into an old friend (who(m)/that) I hadn’t seen for years.

2. The man is in stable condition. A car hit him last night.

The man (who(m)/that) a car hit last night is in stable condition.

3. Evidence is sometimes inaccurate. Police collect this evidence at the crime scene.

Evidence (which/that) the police collect at the crime scene is sometimes inaccurate.

4. Our police department has some new forensic technology. It uses this new technology to analyze DNA.

Our police department has some new forensic technology (that/which) it uses to analyze DNA.

5. The forensic sciences university is very demanding. Lori has chosen this university.

The forensic science university (that/ which) Lori has chosen is very demanding.

C. POSSESSIVE RELATIVE PRONOUN: WHOSE

In a relative clause, “whose” is used instead of a possessive pronoun / noun, and it cannot be omitted.

Among the characters in the movie, we have Nig, the eldest son of the Maori family, the Hekes. Nig moves out when he is a teen to join a gang whose rituals include getting facial tattoos.

The woman was crying. Her books couldn’t be rescued from the fire.

subject

The woman whose books couldn’t be rescued from the fire was crying.

relative pronoun + noun

The suspect was found dead in the bathroom. The police raided his / the suspect’s house last night.

object

The suspect whose house the police raided last night was found dead in the bathroom.

relative pronoun + noun

TASK 5. Combine the following sentences using a relative clause with “whose.”
1. I met the woman. Her husband is the president of the corporation.

I met the woman whose husband is the president of the corporation.

2. The people were very nice. We visited their house.

The people whose house we visited were very nice.

3. Restaurants have become very popular. Their menus include dishes from around the world.

Restaurants whose menus include dishes from around the world have become very popular.

4. I have to call the man. I accidentally picked up his umbrella after the meeting.

I have to call the man whose umbrella I picked up accidentally after the meeting.

5. Pills usually have a small size. Their effectiveness is strong.

Pills whose effectiveness is strong usually have a small size.

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TASK 6. Correct the errors in the relative clauses. Write the correct version in the lines provided.

1. In our village, there were many people didn’t have much money.

In our village, there were many people who/that didn’t have much money.

2. I enjoyed the book that you told me to read it.

I enjoyed the book that you told me to read.

3. I showed my father a picture of the car I am going to buy it as soon as I save enough money.

I showed my father a picture of the car I am going to buy as soon as I save enough money.

4. No one likes to spend time with people who loses their temper easily.

No one likes to spend time with people who lose their temper easily.

5. People who work in the hunger program they estimate that 25,000 people worldwide die from starvation and malnutrition-related diseases every day.

People who work in the hunger program estimate that 25,000 people worldwide die from starvation and malnutrition-related diseases every day.

6. In one corner of the marketplace, an old man who was playing a violin.

In one corner of the marketplace, an old man was playing a violin.

7. If you need food delivered, you can find a restaurant that meals you can order online.

If you need food delivered, you can find a restaurant whose meals you can order online.

NOTE TO THE INSTRUCTOR:

In the following section, relative clauses with where and when are covered, but alternative ways of wording using prepositions (e.g., in which instead of where, on which instead of when) are

NOT explained. Those points will be covered in the Second Span, Relative Clauses Part 3 Handout.

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D. RELATIVE CLAUSES WITH WHERE

We use the relative pronoun where to modify a place, and it cannot be omitted.

TASK 7a. Check the short text below about a movie. Underline the relative clause with ‘where’.

The most important New Zealand movie of 2003, Niki Caro’s Whale Rider, was first shown in September 2002 at a film festival where all the renowned

cinema figures came together. It was voted People’s Choice there and released elsewhere the following year. It was one of the most successful fiction

films made in this country, winning 29 international awards.

TASK 7b. What does ‘where’ refer to in the relative clause that you underlined?

____at the film festival____

WHERE

I miss the little house on the beach. We stayed there during our vacation.

preposition+ place

I miss the little house on the beach where we stayed during our vacation.

Notice the difference between the following pairs of sentences:

We stayed at a hotel. It / The hotel was built 100 years ago.

subject
● We stayed at a hotel which was built 100 years ago.

We liked the hotel. We stayed there / at the hotel for five days.

preposition + place
● We liked the hotel where we stayed for five days.

Notes:

We cannot omit “where,” and we cannot replace it with “that.”

When using “where,” we do NOT include the preposition of place.

E. RELATIVE CLAUSES WITH WHEN

We use the relative pronoun WHEN to modify a noun of time.

WHEN

I can still remember the day. You got back from university on that day / then.

time

I can still remember the day when you got back from university.

Unlike where, when can be omitted or that can replace it as seen in the examples below:

I will never forget the day. I won a gold medal on that day.

I will never forget the day when I won a gold medal.

I will never forget the day that I won a gold medal.

I will never forget the day I won a gold medal.

TASK 8. Combine the following sentences using a relative clause.

This is the restaurant where we are going to hold the reception.

2. I’m lost, and I can’t find the street. I have parked my car on that street.

I’m lost, and I can’t find the street where I have parked my car.

3. Do you remember the day? We first met on that day.

Do you remember the day (when/that) we first met?

4. I have forgotten the date. We have to submit our papers on that date.

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I have forgotten the date (when/that) we have to submit our paper.

TASK 9. Read the text and insert the sentences (a-g) into the blanks using relative pronouns. (You will need to form defining relative clauses.) The sentences are in the CORRECT order.

The concept of working from home has been redefined in the past few years. As long as there is Wi-Fi and a computer, many

people can technically work from anywhere. But for those 1) who/that have gotten used to clicking through multiple monitors

or walking at a standing desk, working away from the house requires setting up and walking around a bunch of peripherals in

order to be productive. But what if you didn’t have to work at a small office or a coffee shop 2) where you have to crouch over a

dark, tiny laptop screen? Now you can take advantage of the power of a multi-monitor setup with a pair of augmented reality

(AR) glasses and a keyboard.

Human-computer interaction company Sightful has released its first product, Spacetop. This is a screen-less augmented reality

laptop 3) whose monitor is actually a 100-inch virtual screen. The laptop — if you can call it that — is a hardware deck and full-size keyboard with a pair of AR glasses. These glasses project tabs

directly in front of the user while remaining invisible to anyone else.

Spacetop has 16 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. This puts it in the same class as some of the smartphones 4) that/which are already capable of operating AR glasses. It’s not

smartphone-sized, however. It measures 1.57-inches high, 10.47-inches wide and 8.8-inches deep, and it weighs in at 3.3 pounds, the same as plenty of laptops 5) (that/which) we could choose

to mention here.

Sightful will definitely attract a lot of attention in the work-from-home-or-anywhere market. Tamir Berliner is one of the company co founders 6) who/that previously worked at various

important tech companies. According to Berliner, “Laptops are the centerpiece of our daily working lives. Augmented reality is full of potential and promise, especially when it is used with work

laptops…We are at the perfect moment for a significant paradigm shift in a device 7) (that/which) we all know and love.”

a) They have gotten used to clicking through multiple monitors.